What tools do you carry?

[Rick]

Spring boarding off another thread, I thought it might in interesting to see what everyone carries with them as they venture into the wilderness.  Here is my list:

1. Six way screwdriver (two philips, two straight, 8mm nut driver, 6mm nut driver)
2. 8mm box end wrench
3. 10mm box end wrench
4. 12mm box end wrench
5. Metric allen wrench tool (has all common sized in one unit)
6. Really sharp knife (never know when you might need to hack off an arm to save yourself   )
7. Letherman's tool
8. Extra brake lever
9. Extra clutch lever (didn't used to carry the brake or clutch lever until I broke a clutch lever and tried to ride.  After that, I realized the extra 5 ounces of weight was well worth it)
10. Small vice grips
11. Two spark plugs
12. Stock spark plug wrench cut shorter to just fit on the plug.  Cutting the socket part shorter makes it fit better in the fanny pack.
13. Used Master Link
14. Zip Ties
15. Small assortment of bolts
16. 3 feet of bailing wire curled into a roll.
17. 2 feet of clear hose for use in transfering fuel.  (can also be used as a Tourniquet if necessary)
18. 3 pair of rubber golves in sealed package for tending to the injured.
19. 4 disposable blue shop towels (the kind that come on the roll).
20. Small Eye Drop bottle filled with Brake fluid (this is primarily for racing the ISDE Qualifiers where it if easy to boil the rear fluid out before the 8 hour race is over)
21. Package of pepermint gum. (Chewing gum will keep you more calm, and keeps your breath minty fresh)
22. Small lighter (I don't really like to carry this along, but it can get really cold at night, and I don't plan on freezing to death)
23. Water system on my back (Wasn't always religious about this until we had a racer die at one of our races when he got lost and died from thirst.  Now, never leave home without it.)
24. Most of the time a nut roll or granola bar.  

Might sound like a lot, but when packed neatly in a Fly fanny pack, it doesn't really add much weight.  I need to add to this a 15 foot length of light rope that can be used to tow a bike.  The one time it was necessary to tow, we were able to find a length of barbed wire we used for towing.  It was just laying there on the ground  

OK, let's hear what other's carry and why.  Between us all, I'll bet we can come up with the ultimate selection for almost all uses.

Rick

[dholder]

I just go riding with my buddies which carry all the tools.

[husqrider]

I CARRY  4 OF THE BIG ZIP TYS TO HOLD THE TIRE ON THE RIM IN CASE OF A FLAT. I DO RUN THE THICK ( 4mm ) FLY HEAVY DUTY TUBES, BUT I HAVE FLATTED BEFORE AND IT IS MUCH FASTER BACK TO THE TRUCK WITH THE TIRE ON THE RIM!   I ALSO CARRY THE FANNY PACK WITH ME IN  MY TRUCK ALL THE TIME AS EMERG. TOOLS / FIRST AID

[Rick]

Ah, dholder, I've got budies like you....

husqrider, it is not uncommon to be 50 miles from the race van, and 150 miles from the nearest house/store/phone, so we keep the tools on our back just in case.  Funny thing, I rarely ever use my tools on my 500, as I am kind of anal about mainetance, and we race prep often enough to keep things in good shape.  Maybe I should start charging folks tool rental (or maybe transportation) fees...

Rick

[Paul]

I got pretty much the same thing you do Rick, I just don't carry a nutt roll or a granola bar... i bring an MRE cuz you never know, I also have one of them space blanket things jsut in case you're stuck in the boonies...

[mikesmith]

I dont really know what I exactlly have,so I'll look.                              A pair of latex gloves.                                                                       Sun screen.                                                                                      A Moose canteen,I also wear a Wal-Mart camel back(real camel backs to much$,and there on the tree huggers side as far as hateing off-roaders.So I wouldnt support them)                                                    A trash bag(in case it rains Ill wear it like a rain jacket)                        A bag of Hot Hands.                                                                           A bottle of Sting Arrest(for bee stings)that was leaking.                        An emergancy blanket.                                                                      Some toilet paper.                                                                             18mm socket I found on a ride.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Soap                                                                                                  Bag containing small bandages,gauze and tape.                             map of local riding area.                                                                 Advil and Excederin.                                                                          I carry my wallet and keys.                                                                Mag light.                                                                                         Zip tyes.                                                                                           Spark plug tool,and a plug.                                                                Quick steel.                                                                                     Money,paper and coins.                                                                     Nylon strap.                                                                                      Pencil and paper.                                                                              Nuts,bolts,washers.                                                                           Electrical tape.                                                                                  Wire and a hose clamp.                                                                    3 way 8,9,10mm socket tool.                                                            3 way allen wrench.                                                                           A whistle and compass.                                                                      Rags and some of the tools I keep in a piece of inner tube that can be cut for bands ect.                                                                              Leatherman tool,                                                                               lighter,and water proof matches.                                                     2light sticks.                                                                                               Power Bar.                                                                                      It's a good idea to look in your bag once in a while(like my sting arrest leaking).Bicycle shops have some good small tools that take liitle room,and Wal-Mart camping/hunting supplies area of store has some good things to carry.

[John]

I have got a lot of bits and bobs in my bum bag. The picture in the link is a spark plug holder which I rate high. Keeps the spark plug clean and dry. Just the way you want it when you need it. Another thing I always carry in with me is money, ~?20 or so.

http://www.dirtbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/Plugholder.JPG

[alan]

I carry a Six Pack!

So if it breaks down, I just get drunk!


Alan

[mikesmith]

Hey this reminds me, I used the fuel line I had in my pack on my truck.

[alan]

Hey this reminds me, I used the fuel line I had in my pack on my truck.

Just kidding!    I carry one of those compact toolkits and a new plug with a few extra bolts, zip ties, and a walkie talkie so my wife can come pull my back to the truck with her 700 kawi quad. Which actually did happen about a year ago when I broke a throttle cable on my YZ.   I carry everything in my camel back, pack! I do use a unique mixture in my camel back, a health store product called Ultra Fuel and Ice and water, it not only replenishes electrolytes, it also is an energy drink. I never get tired or dehydrated while riding, I just collapse when I get off and have a beer!

Alan

[Benson]

I've transfered fuel from bike to bike,  simply by connecting ones fuel line to the others petcock and leaving them both open.  Gravity makes the levels equalize of course.  [It really has no choice either]

I often ride with a Small portable radio I picked up at Radio Shack,  it's cool to have some tunes and news available when I stop if I want.

Once my friends and I were stopped in Massachusetts on the side of this Mountain in the Morning Fog,  I broke out the radio and just as I tuned the station in it was playing the first note of "Stairway to Heaven",  it was almost sereal.  
It was definately a nice touch to the Hooter break out on the trail that day.

Those Co2 cartriges are nice to have out on the trail as well,  and a small bag with an assortment of Fasteners is sometimes invaluable.

When I was riding with the same guys every weekend for a couple years,  we sometimes collaberated and left the redundant tools that we each carried at the truck and brought things we wouldn't usually with the extra room.  As long as you stick together it works well.  You also have to remember to replace the fasteners you barrow off the guy who carries that fastener bag,  you want to have them again if you need them,  LOL.

I carried a Tow rope,  and I tied a loop in each end so you cold just loop it around something and slip one end thru the loop then take the other end back to the bike being towed,  that way you didn't have to mess with any knotts at all and waist time.  Sometimes you can tow a bike with a broken kickstarter to get it started,  and you don't want to have to sit around when the motor lights up untieing knotts.
I make one loop small and I use that on the tow end,  the other loop I make large enough to slip over a bikes handlebars on one side.  It's fast,  and the knotts last so the loops are always there from tow to tow.

A AAA Mini Mag light is nice to have as well,  sometimes just to look for a fastener that dropped in the wrong spot in the daylight even.

When it comes to food I carry,  I stay away from the Energy bars and Sugar,  I usualy carry a can or two of Vienna sausages in my rear fender bag.  Or some Jerky.  Or half a Sub sandwich sometimes.
I try to carry something substantial enough to keep me going realisticaly,  Energy bars don't cut it for me.

Having a Thermus with Hot Soup back at your truck after a ride on a Cold day can sometimes seem like it saves you life too.  I think it actualy can at times,  if your refreshed and not Hypothermic on the drive home after the ride,  you'll tend to make better decisions behind the wheel.

I've actualy noticed a difference in my Cognative abilities after the Soup over the years.  I've come to depend on it even,  maybe I'm just getting Old?

I have to carry an "Eppi Pen" with me on the bike too now,  I'm Alergic to Bee stings and don't want to die.  The last Bee, last Summer,  almost did me in.

I also have a small bag on the front of my number plate,  and I always have a clean rag right there handy in front of me to clean my goggles every chance I get.  
I whip it out every time we stop and wait for the slower guys.
It's always muddy and wet in the East,  and there is always branches hanging  that get you wet too.  [Remembering to look down when Roost is flying at you is also essential.]

Riding without Goggles in the Woods is not too wise.  Eyeballs are easily plucked out when they are focused down on the trail at speed and not looking up at the hanging branches of Doom and Blindness.

I got a nasty black eye a few years ago myself riding in the rain in New Hampshire with my goggles hanging on my arm.  I could have lost my left eye,   and had a cut just bellow it after the stick nailed me.

It almost knocked me off the back of the bike it hit so hard.  I thought my eye was gone at first.

Now I keep my goggles clean enough to wear at all times.

[mikesmith]

Cool picture,this summer I had something fly down the neck of my jersey and start biting/sting me.It got into my sleeve and was on my forarm as I was trying to smash it,I took my jersey off and it flew away.I used the sting arrest and it only made a small welt.So even if your not allergic Id recomend carrying some.

[teamgreen500]

Great Post. All I can add are:
Cell Phone (You'd be surprised how many places they work nowadays)
Trail Marking Ribbon-Bright Pink
Dust Masks (2 incase it gets real bad...usually nice for "Newbies")
Glock 25...I ride in areas that are known to have a certain type of "Garden"...Mike Smith will back me up on this.
Power Bar.

This was a great idea for a post! And you've given me a few things that need to be added to my kit. Thanks!

Manny

[John]

Glock 25, as in weapon - you must be kidding?

[alan]

Glock 25, as in weapon - you must be kidding?

No Joke I am sure! My Wife a college professor, ranchers daughter packs a 38 on her quad. We ride mostly 1 to 3 miles from the border in the El Paso desert. You never know what you could run into! So I understand caring a weapon. I use to carry one on a holster when I rode along in the desert. I depends on where you ride, lots of bad people out there, you could run on to a drug deal or who knows what!

Alan